Mitchell County rain, outlook and forecast
As of the Oct 27 Drought Monitor, most of Mitchell County, KS showed no drought; four weeks earlier 70% of the county was abnormally dry (D0) or worse, now 0%. Rain has run 68% of normal over the last 30 days (below normal) and 184% over 90 days, so the past month has been drier than the season so far; the 6-10 day outlook for Nov 7–11 leans toward near-normal rain and the best rain chance this week is 68% on Tuesday (high 55°). FSA has not added Mitchell County to its 2026 LFP list, and the nearest USDA-reported sale barn is Salina, 51 miles away.
Rain vs normal
- Last 30 days 68% of normal
- Last 60 days 244% of normal
- Last 90 days 184% of normal
NOAA river forecast center rain (radar plus gauges) at the county center, Nov 1, 2026. Source.
Rain outlook
- 6-10 day outlook (Nov 7–11) Leans toward near-normal rain
- 8-14 day outlook (Nov 9–15) Leans toward near-normal rain
NOAA Climate Prediction Center precipitation outlook, issued Nov 1, 2026. Source.
Next 7 days
- Today Slight Chance Light Rain, high 66°, low 60°, 58% rain, wind 15–25 mph
- Monday Chance Light Rain then Slight Chance T-storms, high 77°, low 50°, 65% rain, wind 10–25 mph
- Tuesday Light Rain Likely, high 55°, low 41°, 68% rain, wind 10–25 mph
- Wednesday Sunny, high 59°, low 40°, 5% rain, wind 5–10 mph
- Thursday Mostly Sunny, high 56°, low 38°, 10% rain, wind 5–10 mph
- Friday Mostly Sunny, high 59°, low 41°, 3% rain, wind 0–5 mph
- Saturday Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Light Rain, high 62°, low 43°, 18% rain, wind 5 mph
National Weather Service forecast for the county center, updated Nov 1, 2026. Wind, warnings and burn bans.
PRF pasture insurance: sign up by Dec 1, 2026
The 2027 Pasture, Rangeland, Forage (PRF) insurance sales closing date for Mitchell County is Dec 1, 2026, 30 days from today. PRF (Rainfall Index) pays on a rainfall index for your grid, not on your own rain gauge. You buy it through a crop insurance agent.
How PRF works · PRF 2027 sign-up · Find your grid on RMA's PRF tool
Date from USDA RMA's actuarial data, read Aug 28, 2026 · RMA dates map. Your agent confirms the date for your policy.
Mitchell County grass production
In 2025, grassland and pasture in Mitchell County grew about 2,244 pounds per acre of grass and forbs, 100% of the county's 1991-2020 normal of 2,248 pounds per acre. That was the 20th lowest of 40 years on record (1986-2025). Best year: 2016 at 2,710 pounds per acre; worst: 1988 at 1,520.
Pounds per acre of new grass and forbs each year on rangeland and pasture, from the Rangeland Analysis Platform (satellite-based estimates). See every year on the Land tab.
Open loss windows
No open loss windows in Mitchell County right now. A 30-day window opens when the county first hits severe drought (D2), jumps to D3 or D4, or after a blizzard, extreme heat or cold, flood or ice warning, a wildfire, or a USDA disaster designation. Keep a Drought Ledger.
Information only; not financial, tax or legal advice. FSA decides eligibility. Cownty sends nothing to FSA.
Drought-sale tax flag IRS list
A county next to Mitchell County is on IRS Notice 2026-54 (Lincoln County, KS, Osborne County, KS). The IRS counts your county plus every county touching it.
Why it matters: if you sold breeding, dairy or draft livestock because of drought, the tax code may let you put off the gain (more time to buy replacement animals, or report the extra-sale income a year later). Your tax preparer decides whether either applies.
Work out your numbers and print a page for your preparer
Information only; not financial, tax or legal advice. Ask your tax preparer. FSA decides program eligibility. IRS Notice 2026-54 (PDF)
Prices
5-wt steers, nearest barns
Steers 500–599 lb, $/cwt, weekly average.
| Barn | Last sale | 5-wt steers |
|---|---|---|
| Salina 51 mi | Oct 29 | $423 |
| Pratt 123 mi | Oct 29 | $452 |
| Dodge City 149 mi | Oct 28 | $391 |
How to read this
Each line is one barn's head-weighted average for 5-weight steers (500–599 lb) in that week; gaps are weeks with no sale or no lots that size. Past sales, not a bid.
Dollars per hundredweight ($/cwt, per 100 lb), calculated from USDA AMS Market News sale reports (Medium & Large 1 and 1-2). Not a USDA-published average. ≈ $/head = $/cwt × the middle of the weight class ÷ 100.
Guide: How to read a USDA sale barn report
Price history · Barn map · Fed vs feeder cattle
All weights at the 3 nearest barns
Drought
Drought, past 12 months
0% of the county in severe drought or worse.
How to read this
Each band is how much of the county was in that drought level that week. Darker = worse. D2 (severe) and darker can trigger USDA drought pay.
Right now: 0% of the county is in severe drought or worse; some of it has been for 0 weeks running. Source: U.S. Drought Monitor, map of Oct 27, 2026.
Programs
Drought pasture pay (LFP)
Not on FSA's 2026 list as of the latest file.
FSA "Counties & Pasture Types Eligible for 2026 LFP", file dated Oct 29, 2026 (download). FSA decides eligibility. Fetched Nov 1, 2026.
USDA disaster declarations
No USDA disaster declarations in the current or prior crop-year files.
"Declared" means USDA named this county. "Neighboring" means it touches a declared county. Either way, FSA emergency loans can open for about 8 months. FSA designation files. Fetched Nov 1, 2026.
CRP emergency haying and grazing
Not on the list Mitchell County is not on FSA's emergency haying and grazing list as of Oct 29, 2026. Non-emergency haying and grazing may still be allowed outside the primary nesting season.
Before haying and grazing, contact your FSA county office to see if your county remains eligible and/or obtain a modified conservation plan. This list is cumulative for the year and current local conditions may have changed.
Source: FSA eligible-county table posted Oct 29, 2026 · map · FSA program page. FSA posts a new file every Thursday. Fetched Nov 1, 2026.
Animal health notices: Kansas
New FSA programs: watch list
| Date | Scope | Release | Flag |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 30, 2026 | Oklahoma | USDA Designates Three Oklahoma Counties as Natural Disaster Areas | |
| Oct 30, 2026 | Minnesota | USDA Designates Numerous Counties in Minnesota as Natural Disaster Areas Due to Drought | |
| Oct 30, 2026 | Maine | USDA Offers Disaster Assistance to Agricultural Producers in Maine Impacted by Drought | |
| Oct 29, 2026 | North Carolina | USDA Designates 13 North Carolina Counties as a Natural Disaster Area | |
| Oct 29, 2026 | Oklahoma | USDA Designates Eight Oklahoma Counties as Natural Disaster Areas |
Weather & fire
Weather for Mitchell County
Forecast for the center point of Mitchell County.
- Windy on 3 days
- Today Slight Chance Light Rain 66° 60° SSE 15–25 mph 58% rain
- Mon Chance Light Rain then Slight Chance T-storms 77° 50° S 10–25 mph 65% rain
- Tue Light Rain Likely 55° 41° NW 10–25 mph 68% rain
- Wed Sunny 59° 40° NW 5–10 mph 5% rain
- Thu Mostly Sunny 56° 38° NNW 5–10 mph 10% rain
- Fri Mostly Sunny 59° 41° W 0–5 mph 3% rain
- Sat Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Light Rain 62° 43° WNW 5 mph 18% rain
Forecast from the National Weather Service, updated Nov 1, 2026. Wind arrows point where the wind is going; the letters say where it comes from. Windy = 25 mph or more; freeze = a low of 32°F or less. Open the full forecast.
Burn ban
Mitchell County burning rules: Burn Resolution
From the county burning information page on the KDHE Flint Hills Smoke Management site (source), as of Nov 1, 2026. That page says it may be incomplete; call the county before burning.
No official ban list to check here, so Cownty shows the National Weather Service fire-weather alerts for the county instead: none right now. State fire-restrictions page.
Weather warnings right now
None right now
National Weather Service active alerts for this county, as of Nov 1, 2026 (source). Fetched Nov 1, 2026.
Rainfall vs normal
How to read this
Bars are the rain that fell each month; the dashed line is a normal month (1991-2020 average). Bars below the line = drier than normal.
County-average precipitation, Oct 2025 to Sep 2026. Normal = NCEI's own 1991-2020 average for each month (Sep 2026 normal 2.45 in; same month last year 3.45 in). NCEI posts each month around the 8th of the next and may revise recent months. Source: NOAA NCEI Climate at a Glance. Fetched Oct 30, 2026.
Wildfires
No current fire perimeter in the county
No current perimeter within 100 mi of the county center (83 mapped nationally).
Interagency fire outlines. Small or brand-new fires are often not mapped yet; call 911 for a fire you can see. Layer updated Nov 1, 2026. Source: National Interagency Fire Center. Fetched Nov 1, 2026.
Frost dates
Frost and freeze dates
30-year averages (1991–2020) from the weather stations nearest Mitchell County. Frost = 32°F; hard freeze = 28°F.
Beloit weather station (7 mi away)
| Typical last spring frost | Typical first fall frost | |
|---|---|---|
| Frost (32°F) 181-day growing season |
Apr 19 1 year in 10 it's after May 2 |
Oct 19 1 year in 10 it's before Oct 4 |
| Hard freeze (28°F) 202-day growing season |
Apr 8 1 year in 10 it's after Apr 23 |
Oct 27 1 year in 10 it's before Oct 15 |
Glen Elder Lake weather station (10 mi away)
| Typical last spring frost | Typical first fall frost | |
|---|---|---|
| Frost (32°F) 168-day growing season |
Apr 29 1 year in 10 it's after May 13 |
Oct 15 1 year in 10 it's before Sep 28 |
| Hard freeze (28°F) 187-day growing season |
Apr 17 1 year in 10 it's after May 4 |
Oct 24 1 year in 10 it's before Oct 8 |
short record Based on only 12 years of records here (30 is normal), so treat it as rougher.
Source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 (Beloit, Glen Elder Lake), NOAA files as of Jun 27, 2023. Fetched Oct 18, 2026.
Money
FSA grain loan rates (2026)
What FSA will lend on stored grain, per bushel. Lets you hold grain instead of selling at harvest.
| Crop | Mitchell County | National average |
|---|---|---|
| Corn | $2.40 /bu | $2.42 /bu |
| Grain sorghum | $4.20 /cwt ($2.35 /bu) |
$2.42 /bu |
| Soybeans | $6.70 /bu | $6.82 /bu |
| Hard red winter wheat | $3.61 /bu | $3.72 /bu |
| Soft red winter wheat | $3.12 /bu | $3.72 /bu |
County marketing-loan rates. Sorghum's county rate is set per 100 lb; the per-bushel figure uses 56 lb a bushel. Source: FSA 2026 corn/sorghum/soybean schedule, wheat schedule, national rates. Fetched Nov 1, 2026.
FSA farm loan interest rates
| FSA direct loan | Rate |
|---|---|
| Farm Operating - Direct | 5.375% |
| Farm Operating - Microloan | 5.375% |
| Farm Ownership - Direct | 6.250% |
| Farm Ownership - Microloan | 6.250% |
| Farm Ownership - Direct, Joint Financing | 4.250% |
| Farm Ownership - Down Payment | 2.250% |
| Emergency Loan - Amount of Actual Loss | 3.750% |
Set nationally by FSA; the same in every county. Effective Oct 1, 2026. Source: FSA current loan interest rates. Fetched Nov 1, 2026.
Farm program payments by crop (ARC and PLC)
ARC pays when county crop revenue falls below its guarantee. PLC pays when the national price falls below the reference price. You picked one per crop when you enrolled.
2026 program year guarantees only FSA file of Jan 16, 2026
| Crop | Guarantee | Most it can pay |
|---|---|---|
| Barley | $268.11 | $35.75 |
| Corn irrigated | $828.67 | $110.49 |
| Corn nonirrigated | $401.05 | $53.47 |
| Dry Peas | $211.45 | $28.19 |
| Grain Sorghum | $396.63 | $52.88 |
| Oats | $198.58 | $26.48 |
| Soybeans irrigated | $540.53 | $72.07 |
| Soybeans nonirrigated | $335.71 | $44.76 |
| Sunflower Seed | $287.51 | $38.33 |
| Wheat irrigated | $345.20 | $46.03 |
| Wheat nonirrigated | $291.67 | $38.89 |
Show the math
| Crop | Benchmark yield × price | Benchmark revenue |
|---|---|---|
| Barley | 46.33 bushel/ac × $6.43 | $297.90 |
| Corn irrigated | 183.05 bushel/ac × $5.03 | $920.74 |
| Corn nonirrigated | 88.59 bushel/ac × $5.03 | $445.61 |
| Dry Peas | 1573.61 pound/ac × $0.15 | $234.94 |
| Grain Sorghum | 83.15 bushel/ac × $5.30 | $440.70 |
| Oats | 56.0 bushel/ac × $3.94 | $220.64 |
| Soybeans irrigated | 49.35 bushel/ac × $12.17 | $600.59 |
| Soybeans nonirrigated | 30.65 bushel/ac × $12.17 | $373.01 |
| Sunflower Seed | 1271.7 pound/ac × $0.25 | $319.45 |
| Wheat irrigated | 54.95 bushel/ac × $6.98 | $383.55 |
| Wheat nonirrigated | 46.43 bushel/ac × $6.98 | $324.08 |
Dollars per base acre, before the 85% payment-acre factor and sequestration. Source: FSA ARC-CO 2026 county data.
2025 program year final payment rates FSA file of Sep 30, 2026
| Crop | Guarantee | Actual revenue | ARC payment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barley | $210.43 | $278.46 | $0.00 |
| Corn irrigated | $848.31 | $734.41 | $113.11 |
| Corn nonirrigated | $453.15 | $532.44 | $0.00 |
| Dry Peas | $240.65 | $170.80 | $32.09 |
| Grain Sorghum | $449.05 | $386.78 | $59.87 |
| Oats | $172.11 | $187.34 | $0.00 |
| Soybeans irrigated | $549.95 | $660.24 | $0.00 |
| Soybeans nonirrigated | $392.66 | $507.89 | $0.00 |
| Sunflower Seed | $301.44 | $370.03 | $0.00 |
| Wheat irrigated | $327.61 | $354.71 | $0.00 |
| Wheat nonirrigated | $314.23 | $282.96 | $31.27 |
Show the math
| Crop | Benchmark yield × price | Benchmark revenue |
|---|---|---|
| Barley | 38.33 bushel/ac × $6.10 | $233.81 |
| Corn irrigated | 187.39 bushel/ac × $5.03 | $942.57 |
| Corn nonirrigated | 100.1 bushel/ac × $5.03 | $503.50 |
| Dry Peas | 1810.33 pound/ac × $0.15 | $267.39 |
| Grain Sorghum | 94.14 bushel/ac × $5.30 | $498.94 |
| Oats | 49.8 bushel/ac × $3.84 | $191.23 |
| Soybeans irrigated | 50.21 bushel/ac × $12.17 | $611.06 |
| Soybeans nonirrigated | 35.85 bushel/ac × $12.17 | $436.29 |
| Sunflower Seed | 1334.39 pound/ac × $0.25 | $334.93 |
| Wheat irrigated | 52.15 bushel/ac × $6.98 | $364.01 |
| Wheat nonirrigated | 50.02 bushel/ac × $6.98 | $349.14 |
Dollars per base acre, before the 85% payment-acre factor and sequestration. Source: FSA ARC-CO 2025 county data.
PLC, 2026 FSA table of Oct 9, 2026
| Crop | Reference price | Season avg price | PLC payment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wheat /bushel | $6.35 | $6.30 projected | $0.05 projected |
| Barley /bushel | $5.58 | $5.70 projected | $0.00 projected |
| Oats /bushel | $3.05 | $3.35 projected | $0.00 projected |
| Corn /bushel | $4.42 | $4.70 projected | $0.00 projected |
| Grain Sorghum /bushel | $4.67 | $4.50 projected | $0.17 projected |
| Soybeans /bushel | $10.71 | $12.00 projected | $0.00 projected |
PLC rates are national (paid on the farm's PLC yield). Source: FSA 2026 PLC table. FSA decides who is paid.
FSA payments in Mitchell County
$30,396,183
4,870 payments dated Jan 3, 2025 to Dec 29, 2025 (FSA payment file 2025).
| Program | Year | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency Commodity Assistance Program | 2024 | $10,502,566 |
| Supplemental disaster relief (crops) | 2023 | $8,635,273 |
| Supplemental disaster relief (crops) | 2024 | $5,303,482 |
| ARC county payments | 2024 | $4,189,744 |
| Emergency Livestock Relief (2023-24 drought) | 2023 | $629,511 |
| LFP drought pasture pay | 2024 | $213,598 |
| Wecpcscof | – | $158,785 |
| CRP annual rent | 2022 | $129,013 |
Plus 25 smaller program lines.
County totals only: Cownty sums FSA's public payment file by county and never stores names or addresses. FSA files payments under its administrative county (Mitchell), which may differ from where the land is. Source: FSA payment file via the FOIA reading room.
Crop conditions (statewide)
Kansas crop and pasture condition
Kansas statewide, not just your county. Wheat planting is on pace with normal (80% vs 79%). From USDA's weekly Crop Progress report, week ending Oct 25, 2026.
| Condition | Poor or very poor | Fair | Good or excellent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pasture and Range | 31% | 37% | 32% -3 vs last week |
| Corn | 34% | 26% | 40% +0 vs last week |
| Cotton | 32% | 40% | 28% +4 vs last week |
Progress
| Kansas | This week | Last week | Normal (5-yr avg) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter Wheat Planted | 80% | 60% | 79% |
| Winter Wheat Emerged | 48% | 30% | 56% |
| Sorghum Harvested | 40% | 30% | 65% |
| Cotton Harvested | 21% | 12% | 29% |
| Corn Harvested | 79% | 70% | 81% |
Source: USDA NASS Crop Progress released Oct 26, 2026 (ESMIS), Kansas rows. Week ending Oct 25, 2026. Fetched Oct 26, 2026.
Deadlines
-
Nov 20, 2026in 19 daysApply for NRCS conservation cost-share (EQIP, CSP, ACEP) to be considered for 2027 moneyNRCS conservation programs
Details and source
NRCS takes applications year-round; apply by this date to be ranked for this fiscal year's funding.Date posted: NRCS Application Cutoff Dates page (Kansas)Source: USDA NRCS · checked Nov 1, 2026 -
Dec 1, 2026in 30 daysLast day to buy 2027 pasture rain insurance (PRF)Crop insurance (RMA)
-
Dec 20, 2026in 49 daysProperty tax due: full amount or first halfKansas property tax · December 20 every year · K.S.A. 79-2004
Details and source
What the law says
Tax Payments Due - Full or first half: December 20 (K.S.A. 79-2004 Real 79-2004a Personal)Source: Kansas Department of Revenue · checked Nov 1, 2026 -
Mar 1, 2027in 120 daysCounty mails real-property valuation notices (by this date)Kansas property tax · March 1 every year · K.S.A. 79-1460
Details and source
What the law says
County to mail valuation notices: March 1 (K.S.A. 79-1460)Source: Kansas Department of Revenue · checked Nov 1, 2026 -
Mar 1, 2027in 120 daysLivestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP): application and papers for 2026 losses are due by this date.FSA disaster programs · 7 CFR 1416.206(a)
Details and source
Source: USDA FSA · checked Oct 18, 2026
All deadlines and report dates · FSA disaster-program deadlines are pending (no official feed).
Coming up: EQIP and CSP FY2027 first ranking cutoff (19 days left) · PRF rainfall insurance for 2027 (30 days left) · ARC/PLC 2026 election and enrollment (40 days left) · LFP, LIP and ELAP for 2026 losses (120 days left)
Guide: PRF insurance and the Dec 1 deadline
Land
Where it is, with barns within 200 mi
Dots are sale barns USDA reports on. Tap one for its latest prices.
Grass grown on rangeland and pasture
Grass grown in 2025: 2,244 lb per acre, about normal (100% of the 1991-2020 average of 2,248).
How to read this
Each bar is one year's grass (darker = perennial grasses, lighter = annuals). The dashed line is the 1991-2020 average. A county average with cropland excluded, not your pasture.
How we got this
Satellite estimate of new above-ground growth of grasses and forbs for the year (annual + perennial, lb/acre), averaged over the county's grassland, pasture and shrubland (28% of the county in USDA's 2025 cropland map; farm fields are left out because the estimate isn't valid there, and the same 2025 map is used for every year). About about 120 m (RAP overview). Source: Rangeland Analysis Platform biomass v3 (data, Jones et al. 2021, CC0) and USDA NASS Cropland Data Layer.
Source: Rangeland Analysis Platform, 2025 season. Fetched Nov 1, 2026.
Useful links
Shipping cattle out of Texas
Each state sets its own entry rules for ID, health certificates and screwworm checks. Look up the state you're shipping to before you load.
- InterstateLivestock.com state-by-state entry rules
Source: InterstateLivestock.com (third-party site) · link checked Nov 1, 2026
- APHIS cattle animal disease traceability decision tree (PDF)
Source: USDA APHIS · link checked Nov 1, 2026
Link only. Cownty doesn't copy or check this content; follow the source.
AgriLife events in the High Plains
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension meetings, field days and CEU programs in the Panhandle.
- High Plains events and learning
Source: Texas A&M AgriLife · link checked Nov 1, 2026
Link only. Cownty doesn't copy or check this content; follow the source.
When to pull cattle off wheat
Grazing past first hollow stem cuts grain yield. Oklahoma State's guide explains how to check a field, and its yearly trial reports first-hollow-stem dates by variety.
- Fall forage and first hollow stem dates by wheat variety, 2025–2026
Source: Oklahoma State University Extension · link last confirmed Oct 17, 2026 (site blocks automated checks)
- First hollow stem: a critical wheat growth stage (how to check)
Source: Oklahoma State University Extension · link last confirmed Oct 17, 2026 (site blocks automated checks)
Link only. Cownty doesn't copy or check this content; follow the source.
Common questions and nearby counties
Is Mitchell County eligible for LFP in 2026?
Not on FSA's 2026 LFP county list as of Oct 29, 2026. FSA updates the list as drought changes.
What is the drought level in Mitchell County this week?
On the Drought Monitor map of Oct 27, 2026, most of Mitchell County was in no drought, and the worst part was no drought on 0% of the county. 0 straight weeks with some severe drought (D2) or worse.
Is there a burn ban in Mitchell County?
No official statewide list to check: Kansas has no statewide official burn-ban list; county commissions set bans and announce them locally (county emergency management or sheriff).
What sale barns are near Mitchell County?
The nearest USDA-reported sale barns: Salina (51 mi), last report Oct 29, 2026; Pratt (123 mi), last report Oct 29, 2026; Dodge City (149 mi), last report Oct 28, 2026.
Source: USDA AMS Market News reports
What are the upcoming FSA and farm deadlines?
Next: Nov 20, 2026: Apply for NRCS conservation cost-share (EQIP, CSP, ACEP) to be considered for 2027 money; Nov 20, 2026: Micro Farm 2027: last day to buy crop insurance. FSA program dates not posted officially are marked "confirm at source" on the calendar.
Source: official agency pages (see Calendar)
Information only; not financial or legal advice. FSA decides eligibility. Always check the linked official source.